When indefinite becomes arbitrary: James, Wells and Lee v UK – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 24th, 2012 in EC law, human rights, imprisonment, news, parole, public interest, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

“As Andrew Tickell noted in his post on Wednesday the European Court of Human Rights this week ruled that the UK violated the Article 5(1) ECHR rights of three prisoners sentenced to indeterminate prison sentences for public protection, where reasonable provision for their rehabilitation was not made.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chief coroner plans specialist groups to investigate complex cases – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2012 in armed forces, coroners, custody, inquests, news, police by sally

“The first chief coroner of England and Wales has promised to establish a cadre of specialists to examine deaths in custody and military fatalities.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Article 8 and Possession – NearlyLegal

“The ECtHR’s recent decision in Buckland v UK demonstrates again how wonderfully delphic the subject of housing and Article 8 rights has become.”

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NearlyLegal, 23rd September 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Met’s mental illness custody cases reviewed – BBC News

Posted September 24th, 2012 in complaints, custody, inquests, mental health, news, ombudsmen, police by sally

“The Metropolitan Police has commissioned an independent review into how it responds to people with mental health conditions.”

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BBC News, 24th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

£750,000 of prisoners’ pay taken to help victims of crime – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 24th, 2012 in budgets, news, prisons, remuneration, victims by sally

“More than £750,000 has been taken from prisoners’ pay packets to support victims of crime, according to the new Minister for Victims.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

£1bn tagging programme has failed to cut reoffending – senior police officer – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2012 in budgets, electronic monitoring, news, recidivists, security companies by sally

“Nearly £1bn has been spent on the electronic tagging of criminals over the past 13 years with little effect on cutting offending rates, offering little value for money and serving only to enrich two or three private security companies, one of which is G4S, a senior police officer has claimed.”

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The Guardian, 24th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Teenager jailed for life over fatal schoolboy fight

Posted September 21st, 2012 in evidence, murder, news, offensive weapons, sentencing, video recordings, young offenders by tracey

“A 15-year-old boy has been given a life sentence for killing a schoolboy whose stabbing was recorded on his own mobile phone.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lloyds Bank worker Jessica Harper jailed for £2.4m fraud – BBC News

Posted September 21st, 2012 in banking, fraud, news, sentencing by tracey

“A former Lloyds Bank worker in charge of online security has been jailed for five years over a £2.4m fraud.”

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BBC News, 21st September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 21st, 2012 in law reports by tracey

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Hossacks (A Firm of Solicitors), R (on the application of) v The Legal Services Commission [2012] EWCA Civ 1203 (20 September 2012)”>Hossacks (A Firm of Solicitors), R (on the application of) v The Legal Services Commission [2012] EWCA Civ 1203 (20 September 2012)

Secretary of State for the Home Department v FV (Italy) [2012] EWCA Civ 1199 (14 September 2012)

Francis, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice & Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWCA Civ 1200 (14 September 2012)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Chen, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department & Anor [2012] EWHC 2531 (Admin) (14 September 2012)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Sea Containers Services Ltd [2012] EWHC 2547 (Ch) (19 September 2012)

Slutsker v Haron Investments Ltd & Anor [2012] EWHC 2539 (Ch) (17 September 2012)

High Court (Patents Court)

Actavis Group PTC EHF & Anor v Sanofi Pharma Bristol-Myers Squibb SNC [2012] EWHC 2545 (Pat) (20 September 2012)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Illinois National Insurance Company & Ors v Tutor Perini Corporation & Anor [2012] EWHC 2540 (QB) (20 September 2012)

Smyth v St Andrew’s Insurance Plc [2012] EWHC 2511 (QB) (17 September 2012)

Source: www.bailli.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislationg.gov.uk

Posted September 21st, 2012 in legislation by tracey

The Accounting Standards (Prescribed Bodies) (United States of America and Japan) Regulations 2012

The Public Bodies (Abolition of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Courts Administration and the Public Guardian Board) Order 2012

The Public Bodies (Abolition of Crown Court Rule Committee and Magistrates’ Courts Rule Committee) Order 2012

The Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012

The Localism Act 2011 (Commencement No. 1) (England) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Command Papers- official-documents.gov.uk

Posted September 21st, 2012 in parliamentary papers by tracey

Renewable heat incentive: consultation on proposals for a domestic scheme, Cm 8446 (PDF)

Renewable heat incentive: expanding the non domestic scheme, Cm 8447 (PDF)

Renewable heat incentive: air to water heat pumps and energy from waste, Cm 8448 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

No public inquiry into alleged 1948 massacre by British troops, yet – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 21st, 2012 in armed forces, colonies, homicide, inquiries, judicial review, news by tracey

“Chong Nyok Keyu and ors v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and another [2012] EWHC 2445 (Admin).

Although the High Court has rejected an attempt to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into an alleged massacre of unarmed civilians by British troops in 1948, the case represents a further example of the use of the Courts to redress historical grievances.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 21st September 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

A Chagossian double bill: an environmental information contest, and a touch of Wikileaks – UK Human Rights Blog

“The manoevres by which the Chagossians were evicted from their islands in the Indian Ocean, the late 1960s and early 1970s, so to enable the US to operate an air base on Diego Garcia, do not show the UK Foreign Office in its best light. Indeed, after a severe rebuke from the courts in 2000, the FCO accepted that the original law underlying their departure was unlawful, and agreed to investigate their possible resettlement on some of their islands. The first of these new cases is an environmental information appeal concerning the next phase of the story – how the FCO decided that it was not feasible to resettle the islanders in 2002-2004.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th September 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

OFT issues guidance to online retailers over delivering to remote areas – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 21st, 2012 in consumer protection, electronic commerce, news by tracey

“Retailers should make it clear from the outset when residents of remote areas will be charged extra for delivery in online sales, consumer protection regulator the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

High Court orders judicial review over HMR transitional fund – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 21st, 2012 in housing, judicial review, news, planning by tracey

“Campaign group Save Britain’s Heritage (SAVE) has won the right to a judicial review of the Government’s £35 million transitional fund to help councils after the closure of the Housing Market Renewal (HMR) fund.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Mortgage fraud solicitor jailed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 21st, 2012 in fraud, mortgages, news, sentencing, solicitors by tracey

“A former criminal defence solicitor has been jailed for two years for her part in a £1.3m mortgage fraud in east London.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Hillsborough investigation launched by SRA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 21st, 2012 in complaints, families, news, professional conduct, solicitors, sport by tracey

“The role and conduct of solicitors involved in legal proceedings following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster will be investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the regulator announced today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rioters are getting softer sentences, says leading criminologist – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 21st, 2012 in news, sentencing, violent disorder by tracey

“Offenders being sentenced for their part in last year’s riots are being treated more leniently now than in the immediate aftermath of the disorder, a leading criminologist has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 20th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police shootings prove contempt laws are not fit for purpose – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2012 in contempt of court, firearms, media, news, police, privilege by tracey

“Watching the press conference by Greater Manchester Police, I was not the only journalist to remark that it looked and sounded more like one held by police in the USA where contempt laws hold no sway in the run-up to a trial. Here, as soon as someone is arrested, no one should publish anything which might cause a substantial risk of serious prejudice or serious impediment to the proceedings that might take place.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Barclays to be investigated over claim they misused loan scheme – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2012 in banking, financial regulation, guarantees, loans, news, small businesses by tracey

“A government business lending specialist is to investigate a loan made by Barclays that turned sour and allowed the bank to collect nearly £70,000 in taxpayer guarantees.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk